Siumut

Siumut (SIU, ; ; ) is a political party in Greenland in the social democratic tradition. Since the establishment of home rule in 1979, it has been the dominant party in Greenland. Siumut is led by Erik Jensen, who beat the then-incumbent Prime Minister Kim Kielsen in a tight leadership contest in late 2020. Party members have been elected to both the parliament of Greenland and the parliament of Denmark.

History

Siumut was formed in 1971 as a political movement, and became a party in 1977. Following the establishment of home rule in Greenland in January 1979, the party won 13 of 21 seats in the 1979 Greenlandic general election for the newly formed Parliament of Greenland, and party chairman Jonathan Motzfeldt became the first Prime Minister of Greenland.

Following the 1991 Greenlandic general election, Motzfeldt stepped down and was replaced by Lars Emil Johansen, also of Siumut, who governed in coalition with Inuit Ataqatigiit.

Between 1997 and 2002, Motzfeldt was again Prime Minister, until he was succeeded by Hans Enoksen. From 1979 until 2009 and since 2013, members of Siumut have served as Greenland's Prime Minister. In the 15 November 2005 general election, the party won 30.7% of the popular vote and 10 out of 31 seats in the parliament. In the 2009 general election, it won 26.5% of the popular vote and nine seats and in the 2013 election, it won 42.8% of the popular vote and 14 out of 31 seats. At the 2014 election, the party was still the largest party; however, it lost three members of the parliament and has now 11 members. Siumut further declined to nine seats in the 2018 Greenlandic general election. The party gained one seat at the 2021 election, but suffered an historic defeat in 2025, winning just four seats and falling to fourth place in the Inatsisartut — the party had never had fewer than nine seats and had never been smaller than the second-largest party in the country.

Positions

The party was an observer affiliate of the Socialist International.Member Parties of the Socialist International
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Siumut representatives sitting in the Danish parliament have been attached to the parliamentary group of the Social Democrats.

Election results

Inatsisartut

Folketing

Notes

External links

Official websiteGreenlandic Parliament official websiteThe North Atlantic Group in the Danish Parliament

References

{{Danish political parties

Political parties in Greenland
Social democratic parties
Socialist parties in Greenland
Greenlandic nationalism
Former member parties of the Socialist International